Case Studies By Service Area
Evaluation and Research
Department of Labour Partnership Resource Centre – Aubert Home of Compassion Case Study Research
The Scope
MartinJenkins was engaged to undertake case study research in Aubert Home of Compassion. The purpose of the research was to:
- build the Partnership Resource Centre’s (PRC) knowledge base regarding the processes used by its Associates in developing partnership relationships and practices between management and unions
- demonstrate the extent to which partnership building activities contributed to improving workplace relationships in Aubert, and
- test and refine PRC’s programme and intervention logic model developed through earlier research on the basis of the new information generated.
Our Involvement
MartinJenkins team consisting of Meenakshi Sankar, Nicole Brown and Chloe Anderson undertook the case study research project. This involved visiting and talking with a range of stakeholders within Aubert as well as the two PRC Associates responsible for developing partnership agreements in this workplace. Specifically the methods used included interviews and focus group discussions with senior managers and staff at Aubert, Board members, union representatives and a number of longer term Aubert residents. Triangulation was the analytical process used to ensure robustness of the data gathered. Consequently, documents review and observations served as critical data sources for the researchers.
The Outcome
The result was a comprehensive report describing the process used by Associates within Aubert, and identifying lessons learnt and future challenges in terms of the building positive management-union relationships. The report considered contextual influences shaping the environment at Aubert and recognised key achievements resulting from the partnership process.
The MartinJenkins Difference
MartinJenkins provided a multi-disciplinary team that was experienced in research and evaluation, as well as having expertise in human resources, industrial relations and organisational behaviour. This approach allowed researchers to test their analysis with consultants experienced in human resource management and build a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in creating workplace partnerships. The research team’s significant experience in conducting case study research enabled high-quality analysis to be produced within a relatively short timeframe.
